Heir to the Magic King

Any RPG was like this, but class choice was a critically important decision that shaped your entire playstyle going forward.

A single moment's decision could make the game a breeze—or open the gates of hell.

How many games out there ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠divided players into peasants and nobles based solely on their class?

No normal player wanted to suffer through a miserable game life with a crap class—unless they were some kind of deviant.

Last Savior was no different from any other game.

The biggest reason RaSe players obsessed over good Patron Spirits was classes.

The better the Patron Spirit, the higher the odds of getting a good class.

"Heh heh heh."

"......"

Carpe let out a hollow laugh at the three classes floating before his eyes.

The better the Patron Spirit, the better the class.

Conversely, a trash Patron Spirit meant trash classes.

Cheonma's rank was 0-star.

The lowest of the low, and the classes it offered were as follows.

"Heh heh. Heh heh heh!"

"......"

"Agriculture, fishing, livestock. Right? The foundation of society is primary industry, after all. Basics matter! That's what you were trying to say, huh? Got it loud and clear."

"No, that's not... I mean."

"Cut the crap and give me a real class already. Before I start cursing."

"Wait, hold on! Let me try again!"

Cheonma took a deep breath with a weird "Hup!" and a new alert window appeared before Carpe.

"......"

"......"

"Question."

"Yes? Ask away."

"You doing this on purpose so I can 2nd job into something like 'Ultimate Farmer' or 'Legendary Angler' or 'World Tree Guardian Woodcutter'?"

"No such classes exist..."

"Yeah, figured. Just checking. Next question."

"What?"

"Tell me how to change Patron Spirits."

"Hey, hey! Hold up a sec!"

Cheonma started pleading desperately.

"Come on, after all we've been through, you're gonna ditch me over a class...?"

"What 'we'? We just met today. Weren't you the one saying we're not close?"

"Aw, that was just talk. If I had to pick the closest bond in my thirty years of life, it'd be you. The system even says our relationship is maxed out. That's gotta mean something special, right?"

"Sigh. Knew my luck was too good to be true."

Carpe let out a deep sigh.

"Do I have to get my class from a Patron Spirit?"

"Nah, not really. You can get 'em from NPC quests or achievements. That's where most hidden classes are, actually."

"Oh yeah? Guess I'll go that route then."

"Of course. I've got that path all mapped out. But there's one tiny issue."

"Tiny issue?"

"The quickest quest still requires level 45."

"Fuck."

It meant he'd have to level to 45 with one of those garbage classes.

"Farm and fish your way to 45? Ugh, no way! Change my Patron Spirit!"

"You don't have to level as a pure farmer. Gear up with item RNG and you can hunt just fine. I've prepped some killer items for the great Carpe. Please, just don't change Patron Spirits."

"Your formal/informal switching shows your mental game's cracking too, bro."

"Guerrilla quest's right around the corner anyway. Handle that first, bro."

"Sigh. Fine. Put out the fire first, think later."

Carpe stuffed all the eggs and acorns into his inventory and moved spots.

* * *

The starter city Leisin was still buzzing with energy.

Even half a year after launch, new players poured in, enjoying the game in their own ways.

"Here! Got those wolf pelts you asked for!"

"Oho, perfect. As expected of a divine emissary."

"Piece of cake. Got any more quests?"

"Haha, divine emissaries are always so eager—love it. Let's see... How about the wolf pack near the forest...?"

In Last Savior, NPCs were basically player-friendly by default.

To RaSe's residents, Patron Spirits were like gods, and players chosen by them were "divine emissaries" worthy of awe.

With all those emissaries solving village problems, how ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠could the NPCs not be friendly?

"Hm. So players are divine emissaries chosen by the gods, huh."

"Well, technically players choose the Patron Spirits."

"These folks need to know there's gods of farmers and fishermen too."

"......Over there, Carpe. Head that way for the junk dealer NPC."

Carpe and Cheonma passed the central square's fountain and headed beside the large church.

"Breaking the junk dealer quest gives random loot, right?"

"Yeah. He tosses one of his collected junk items, and sometimes you hit the jackpot... Hey, hey! He's here!"

At Cheonma's excited shout, Carpe's head turned naturally.

In a spot near the church outskirts, out of most players' sight.

It had been empty moments ago, but now a man stood there out of nowhere, a huge cart piled with junk right beside him!

"Looks like a junk dealer alright."

Without hesitation, Carpe rushed over. A yellow exclamation mark popped above the NPC's head.

"You there. You look like you've got some junk on you. How about trading your junk for mine?"

"Kuh."

Last Savior was surely the devil's game.

Hidden NPC guerrilla quest.

How could just four words make someone this happy? Carpe nodded with a satisfied smile.

"Of course I accept..."

"Hey, isn't that him over there?"

Just as Carpe was about to accept, a group spotting him from afar started yelling.

"Shit, someone's already there?!"

"Hey, wait! Don't take that quest here!"

The nonsense-spouting group was none other than Mammonism guild members.

"Whoa, NPC just popped and they show up already. Almost lost it."

"Not like they knew. Probably patrolling nearby. Too late anyway."

Cheonma was right.

They were rushing over, but Carpe just needed to accept and grab the reward...

"Huh?"

"What? Don't mess around—finish before they get here."

"No, it won't accept? Accept! Accept!"

Carpe yelled in panic, but the quest wouldn't budge.

No, it was worse than that.

"......What?"

"Canceled?! Never seen that before."

The two freaked out at the unexpected turn.

And meanwhile, the Mammonism guild was closing in.

"What now?"

"This is insane. Ever since I got stuck with you, nothing goes as planned."

That was when it happened.

"You there."

The NPC, staring blankly at Carpe, finally spoke.

"No god you serve?"

At the same time, the yellow exclamation mark above his head turned green.

"No way. Something like this hidden here?"

Cheonma muttered in disbelief.

He looked more shocked than when he learned he'd been sealed as a 0-star Patron Spirit.

"Things actually working out? Unreal. You're one lucky bastard."

"Why? What's a green exclamation mean?"

"Exactly what you want right now."

"What I want?"

What was that?

As Carpe asked blankly, Cheonma chuckled.

"Didn't wanna be a farmer?"

"How about it? If you're willing, shall we move somewhere and talk?"

Carpe's head nodded on its own at the NPC's question.

"Refreshing to see. Shall we go?"

The junk dealer NPC said that, then pulled a scroll from his cart and tore it with a rip.

Fwoosh!

A brief flash swallowed Carpe and the junk dealer.

"Wh-what? Where'd they go?"

"Warp? Starter cities block warps, right?"

"This is bad. If we miss this, it's not just a report. Hey! Send more guys!"

By the time the Mammonism guild arrived, they ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠were long gone.

* * *

Carpe's warp destination was a space entirely of stone.

Altars and statues carved from rock lined up in rows, giving the feel of a temple.

From now on, talk in your head. Players might think it's whisper or broadcast if you're muttering alone, but NPCs won't.

In my head? Like this?

Yeah. Coming through fine.

Why didn't you tell me this was possible sooner? Been talking to myself for nothing.

Carpe grumbled lightly and stared ahead. The junk dealer—no, the now-mysterious NPC—watched him with a meaningful smile.

"Welcome, outsider. My name is Drekof Shtain. Just call me Drek."

"Ah, I'm Carpe."

"A fine name, Carpe. On behalf of Arkram, I welcome you."

"Arkram?"

"The organization I belong to. Lots of questions, I imagine?"

Drek snapped his fingers in the air.

A tea set flew in from somewhere and gently settled on the stone table.

"Like why I was posing as a junk dealer, or what I do with all those coins."

"Definitely curious."

"Sit. I'll explain everything—if you don't refuse my offer, that is."

"......"

"No need to tense up. You've already passed the first test. That's enough for all of Arkram to consider you a friend."

"First test?"

Carpe tilted his head.

He had no memory of any test.

He glanced at Cheonma just in case, but even he shook ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠his head.

"Indeed. You serve no god, do you? Those accursed gods tempting outsiders with the sweet lure of 'power'."

"Ah!"

Come to think of it, the NPC had said that at first sight. No god he served.

And here, "god" meant...

This flow's talking about Patron Spirits, right?

Looks like it. Hm, NPCs hostile to Patron Spirits. Rare bunch—even my 10+ years of knowledge barely scratches that.

Who'd have thought such folks hid in the starter city.

"Since you resisted those wicked beings' temptations, you must be of noble..."

"S-sorry to interrupt, but I do have one."

"Hm?"

"I have a Patron Spirit. A god I serve."

"Whaaat?"

Drek's face twisted into something indescribably bizarre, like he'd heard the dumbest bullshit ever.

"No way? I checked earlier... Stay still a moment."

Flustered, Drek stared wide-eyed at Carpe.

About 30 seconds passed.

"Something's definitely attached."

"Right?"

"But qualitatively different from those evil ones."

"Huh?"

"You live near a graveyard or something? Got some stray ghost clinging to you."

......Stray ghost?

"No, it's a real Patron Spirit!"

"Hmph. Do you know how long we've studied those things? Their power varies wildly by rank, but even the weakest has some dignity."

In other words, even a 1-star Patron Spirit had some class.

"But that ragtag thing by your side lacks even the bare minimum. If that's a god, then every fly's a bird."

This old fart—after all I've heard! What? Ragtag?!

"Well, both are annoying as hell, so maybe similar. I'll introduce you to a good exorcist soon."

Kyaaack!

A brief commotion as Carpe calmed the raging Cheonma, but it ended well enough.

So, normally you can't take this quest with a Patron Spirit, but 0-star doesn't count as one?

Shut up. Don't summarize.

Even a 10-year vet like you wouldn't know this quest.

RaSe started and ended with Patron Spirits—no sane player ditched them, especially not fresh in the beginner city.

"Anyway. You qualify fully. Care to join us?"

His spine tingled.

Hidden class.

How sweet those words were. Given the bullshit condition, it had to be a cheat job.

But.

Hidden class and you're hesitating? Accept already.

Hm. Magic King sounds like a mage line, right?

Obviously.

Magic's not my style. Never even tried it.

Carpe was a melee player.

Dodging close-range attacks, slamming back—that thrill!

Once you felt that hand buzz, ranged chars felt lame.

For a melee addict, suddenly going mage...

Your combat sense fits melee better... but ditching a hidden class? You wanna farm?

Or swap Patron Spirits for another class.

......Game novel protags without hidden classes? Never. Kyah! Magic King—name slaps.

"Ugh, what to do?"

But Carpe's dilemma vanished with the next alert.

"......"

"......"

This was the moment the first Epic-grade class appeared in Last Savior.